1. Field of Endeavor
The present invention relates to devices, systems, and processes useful for dispensing wine, and more specifically to dispensing wine from a bottle using pressurized, inert gas.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
This invention applies to the field of wine preservation and dispensing equipment used for wine sampling and wine-by-the-glass service from opened bottles of wine as applicable in commercial and consumer use.
Post-bottling wine spoilage is most often the result of sorption of the 21% oxygen component in ordinary air following wine's exposure to that air after opening and during pouring cycles. Numerous methods have been used to address issues of wine spoilage after bottle opening. Notable among these are partial vacuum and low-pressure, sealed inert gas systems of varying effect and complexity. Under their premises, both methods require complete bottle sealing to maintain the negative or positive pressures of their systems. Such sealing often requires complex assemblies and operation. Successful use of these methods is highly dependent on the operator's skill and attention to bottle seal placements.
The invention can resolve common operating problems users experience with constantly-pressurized, inert gas wine preservation systems using variably-designed bottle interfaces or bottle sealing mechanisms. A high occurrence of improperly sealed wine bottles leads to unexpected preservation gas losses—leakage—caused by malfunction, wear, and operator error. Because the gas pressure in these systems serves dual functions, both as an oxygenated-air displacer and as a propellant, driving wine from the bottle, the consequences of unexpected gas supply depletion can be catastrophic. Prior systems' wine dispensing utility will not function until replacement inert gas supplies are connected when available. In typical control valve and seal configurations of such equipment, the common failure to make a proper seal at only a single bottle, can result in total gas loss-and consequent system shut-down-within four hours. Often such equipment includes an array of four to twenty bottles, each with its own seal-leak potential. In these system configurations, when properly sealed, control of the pressurized gas is merely an indirect, secondary result of direct-acting liquid control valve operation; that is, the opening of a valve causes wine to flow from the bottle, and the resulting increase in bottle headspace is filled with gas from the gas supply system, which is always in fluid communication with that headspace.
Acknowledging this common problem, some prior art, such as ProWine Products n2-Infinity models, has incorporated synchronous, electronically-controlled gas loss prevention circuitry referenced above, the assurances offered by such systems comes at a high cost, often unaffordable for many restaurants, bars, package shops, and wineries.